Brevard Live August 2006
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Brevard Live August 2006 - 2 - Brevard Live August 2006 Brevard Live August 2006 - - Brevard Live August 2006 Brevard Live August 2006 - 6 - Brevard Live August 2006 Marchseries 4, 1953 - THOSE WERE PART XI August 20, 2005 and watch as they played, and see a friend at the same The Glory Days time. I realize I have always HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH by Judy Tatum Lane admired and respected their talent, but I now have an even stronger respect for strong today, just that much have received, conversations cannot tell you how many these people, and feel blessed better and professional from that have taken place with people have approached that they are my friends and I the years of experience. And so many about our local me since I began writing so many possess this very it has made me stop to really musical talent and the music for Brevard Live (in person, exceptional talent which think, and I have been hit scene, from those who email or phone), from gives joy, entertainment, with the realization of just consider themselves friends, Orlando, Tampa, and even and fulfillment to so many how much talent is and has fans, fellow musicians, even other states. So many times of us. And best of all, they always existed in our own including some who have the comment has been made are not only good musicians, Brevard County. In a way taken time out while on to me that they have never but good people. And all of I suppose it has been taken tour to call up and just talk been lucky enough to have them right here in our little for granted because it has about the honor they had to all the really great musicians community. always been here as far back play with some of Brevard’s in their town like Dave as most of us can remember. finest, and what a privilege Fiester (who was obviously I cannot remember when I never thought about things it was. I now find myself very well known and liked there wasn’t the standing being any other way in places looking at the musicians in Orlando), as well as so joke “throw a rock anywhere like Orlando. To be perfectly of Brevard County in a very many others who call in Brevard County and honest, the thought has somewhat different way. So Brevard County home. you’ll hit a musician”. Even occurred to me that a town many I simply thought of as Some are young, and others the parents picked up the that size must really have an friends who happened to play have played professionally phrase as they were telling abundance of musical talent music, was very good at it, since the beginning of the their children how they were and great bands. But not on and as a huge music lover, 60’s when they were kids wasting their time playing in the level we enjoy as a way it was always my priority to 14, 15 and 16 years old. bands when they should be of life here according to take every chance possible to And so many of these same studying to go to college so recent events and feedback I catch them at a gig to listen musicians are still going that they could have the good jobs, new cars and houses, and be something when they grew up. But these were kids who on the average could think of nothing beyond playing music. It was over 35 years ago I would hear people laughing and making that comment all the time. As a matter of fact, you can hear it being said today (usually jokingly by a musician who’s been in the area a while), and when someone makes the comment we all laugh now, just as we did 35 years ago. But I now stop and think about how grateful I am that this standing joke is so true. Brevard was and is bursting with musical talent. And this is nothing new in the least, which is why I would like to “Transcontinental Mercy Flight”, Robbin Thompson (singer), Joe Billington (guitar), try to go to the beginning as Jim Nash (guitar), Hank Saunders (drums), John Lane (bass). continued next page Brevard Live August 2006 - Glory Days HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH much as I am personally able, and give homage to as many as This was a group of high school kids being promoted by I can by trying to tell the stories that I am able to relate. From Jim Kennedy, the disc jockey for the one and only rock-n-roll the beginning comes the present which produced bands such station in the area, WTAI. Like the “Fantastic Group”, they as Dave Fiester and the Groovemonsters, and made Brevard would take off on a tour to Virginia Beach and Washington, County’s abundance of so many very special musicians to be receiving a great reception wherever they played. But just seen whenever we like, the envy of areas not so lucky. before beginning their tour they would have the opportunity to open for “Spirit” at the Merritt Island Auditorium. The Of course the bands I remember begin in the 60’s. One auditorium was formerly the Merritt Island skating rink where of the most loved and listened to bands that I have already I spent many weekend nights skating. The really unusual talked about (1964 in Cocoa Beach) was none other than thing about this skating rink is that instead of playing records “The Fantastic Group”. A very different time, a very different to skate by, they would have live bands. Also opening for Cocoa Beach. And then there were the “Tropics”, and a group “Spirit” this particular night was “The Fantastic Group”, and I would like to mention, “The Tasmanians”. I frequented the looking up to Kenny Cohen as a bass player, John (who was “Tigers Den” in Cocoa many times to see this band, just as I one of the upcoming musicians) says he still remembers as he was always in the front to see and hear “The Fantastic Group” walked off the stage at the same time “The Fantastic Group” and “The Tropics”. These bands were so great, you didn’t was coming on, Kenny shaking his hand and saying “good need anything else, and there were so many bands coming up job”. It made quiet an impression on him. behind (musicians who were younger by 2 to 3 years, playing continued next month catch up, but in later years would play together with Kenny Cohen and others who were the first), and maybe it was at this early age I began becoming spoiled. I remember taking it for granted that my friends and I would go out on Friday and/or Saturday night and have a great time and couldn’t ask for better music to dance to, just listen and appreciate, or stand around and listen while with your friends. But whatever you were doing the music would always catch your attention, and even though the land, population, so many things have changed over the years in the area, that is one thing that has not. Brevard definitely still possesses the musicians with the ability to grab your attention, which is why people drive from Orlando on a weekend when our local musicians don’t book a gig in their town. The band I mentioned earlier “The Tasmanians”, would later become “Transcontinental Mercy Flight” with a couple “Transcontinental Mercy Flight” all decked out in the then of changes in members who ultimately would be Robbin very popular “Guru” jackets which John Lane’s mother Thompson, Henry (Hank) Saunders, Joe Billington, Jim Nash made for the band. I still have the remnants of the left over and John Lane. material. - Brevard Live August 2006 BREVARD LIVE THIS MONTH MAGAZINE AUGUST 2006 Volume 15, Issue 4 PUBLISHER & EDITOR Heike Clarke BREVARD LIVE MUSIC AWARDS page 11 STAFF by Heike Clarke Five bands are nominated to win the title “Entertainer Of The Year” Charlene Hemmle (Office/Graphics) this month. The winner of this and many other categories will be announced in an Karen Hoodless (Sales/Marketing) Award Ceremony on August 28th, 6pm at the Henegar Center in Melbourne. Jay Galbreath (Sales/ Marketing) John Cummings (Sales/Marketing) Chris Long (Staff-Writer) REGGAE SUNSPLASH page 13 David Mac Makin (Computer) by Heike Clarke This is with no doubt the biggest production of the year. The House of Lou Belcher (Arts in Brevard) Blues and The Cocoa Beach Pier have joined forces to present the Reggae Sunsplash. The Terry Wallace (Photography) talented line-up includes UB 40, Maxi Priest, Toots and the Maytals, Third World and Rik Rok. They will be performing August 12th at the Cocoa Beach Pier. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Morgan Burroughs Eroica Fedder F E A T U R E S T O R Y Greg Kimple ON TOUR WITH POISON! page 16 Bruce Marion by Chris Long Staff writer Chris Long has a lot going on in his life: He’s touring as Hagen Panton Billy Van Riper personal manager with the rock band Poison - and has to write about it for Brevard Reproduction of any portion of Brevard Live Magazine. Here is his first report from the road! Live is prohibited without the written permission of the publisher. A R T i n b r e v a r d LOLLY WALTON page 56 ADVERTISEMENT/ SALES by Lou Belcher for information and rate card For Lolly Walton, nature is where her heart is. She says that she Phone: (321) 956-9207 could be happy painting birds for the rest of her life – she just wants to do it well.